This database picks up where the SSDI leaves off, with details such as birth date and parents' names extracted from information filed with the Social Security Administration through the application or claims process.

The Death Master File (DMF) from the Social Security Administration (SSA) currently contains over 89 million records and is updated weekly. The file is created from internal SSA records of deceased persons possessing social security numbers and whose deaths were reported to the SSA. Often this was done in connection with filing for death benefits by a family member, an attorney, a mortuary, etc. Each update of the DMF includes corrections to old data as well as additional names. [NOTE: If someone is missing from the list, it may be that the benefit was never requested, an error was made on the form requesting the benefit, or an error was made when entering the information into the SSDI.] Beginning in 2014, legislative rules governing the SSDI changed. Going forward, records from the most recent 3 year period will not be available to Archives.com. Once a record is older than 3 years (1095 days), it can be published .Archives.com does not provide this number in the Social Security Death Index for any person that has passed away within the past 10 years. The absence of a particular person in the SSDI is not proof this person is alive. Additionally, there is a possibility that incorrect records of death have been entered on the DMF. The Social Security Administration does not guarantee the accuracy of the file.

This collection of indexed birth records from England and Wales was recorded by the General Register's Office (GRO). It contains millions of records documenting marriages from 1916 to 2005. Images are only available through 1983.

This collection of indexed marriage records from England and Wales was recorded by the General Register's Office (GRO). It contains millions of records documenting marriages from 1916 to 2005. Images are only available through 1983.

This collection of indexed death records from England and Wales was recorded by the General Register's Office (GRO). It contains millions of records documenting marriages from 1916 to 2005. Images are only available through 1983.

This database is an index to over 24.5 million births occurring in California between 1905 and 1995. Information contained in this index includes child's name (names may be truncated at 8 letters), gender, birth date, birth county, and mother's maiden name (names may be truncated at 8 letters). If possible, it is important that you use the information found in this index to order a copy of the birth certificate, as the certificate may provide additional information about the child or the parents.

This database is an index to over 15 million births recorded in Texas between 1903 and 1997. Information contained in this index includes:

Child's full name

Sex

Birth date

Birth county

Some records also include:

Names of both parents

Birth certificate number

In some cases, where the names of the parents are provided, the parents' names were recorded incorrectly. Occasionally the mother's name was recorded in the father's place and the father's name was recorded in the mother's place. Therefore, you may need to switch which fields you put the parents' names in, in order to produce results.

Modern birth records are extremely valuable, but many researchers, learning birth information from home sources, fail to obtain birth certificates. This reluctance is most unfortunate and can result in an inaccurate or incomplete family genealogy. Use the information in this index to request a copy of the birth certificate. The original record will typically include additional information that is not found in the index. For information on how to order a copy of a birth certificate, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website.

Modern birth records contain much more information than earlier records. Although birth certificates vary from state to state, most of them share much information in common.

Probated or delayed birth registrations were sometimes submitted to the respective county court. These were then forwarded to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. Microfilm indexes to delayed birth records include Texas residents born elsewhere, many of whom were seeking Social Security registration. The bureau ended delayed birth registration in 1959.

Birth records will generally contain the following information: Child--name, birthplace, date of birth, sex, hospital, time of birth; Father--name, race, birthplace, age, occupation; Mother--name, race, birthplace, age, occupation, residence. Sometimes you will also learn term of residence in the community, term of pregnancy, marital status, number of other living children, number of other deceased children, number of children born dead.

On the images of the index, counties are listed with a code. For reference, the following table is provided with each county and its code.

This database is a collection of Texas marriage indexes covering various years and counties. To see specifically what is included in this database (counties and years covered), please see the bottom of this page. This collection is comprised of indexes created by several agencies - Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research, Hunting For Bears, and the Texas Department of State Health Services. Liahona Research and Hunting For Bears extracted information from records at the Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City, Utah and/or from records located at county courthouses. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DOSHS) index was created from actual marriage records and begins in 1966 with the statewide registration of marriages. Information contained in these indexes includes:

Note: Since this collection is compiled from a variety of sources not all records will contain the above listed information. Items marked with an "*" are only included with records originating in the Texas DOSHS index.

The marriage date is usually the date of marriage as given in the original entry. However, when no marriage date is given (e.g., the "marriage return" was not provided to the record keeper), the date of the license is used. Some marriages may be listed more than once in this database. This is to provide you with as much information as possible about a marriage. In a few cases, a marriage will be listed twice, but in two different counties. This most often happened when a couple obtained a license in one county, but were actually married in another. Another reason for multiple listings of the same marriage is different compilers or source information.

About Marriage Records in Texas:

Marriage records prior to 1836, if extant, may be in custody of the Roman Catholic church. Beginning with the date of organization, most counties maintain marriage records. These are presently in the jurisdiction of the respective county clerk where the license was issued. Statewide recording of marriages began in January 1966, but certified copies are not available through the state office. Marriages of blacks were frequently recorded in separate volumes.

Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution have compiled many marriage records for Texas. These are available in the DAR Library in Washington, D.C., and on microfilm through the FHL.

Marriage records are great sources for genealogists because they document an individual in a particular place and time as well as provide details about that person's marriage and establish important family relationships.

It is important that you use the information found in this database to locate your ancestor in the records that this index references. Usually more information is available in the records themselves than is found in an index. For example, marriage records sometimes provide the birth dates and places of the bride and groom, their parents' names, their addresses, and witnesses' names, in addition to the information listed in this index.

Finding the Original Marriage Record:

Unfortunately, Liahona Research and Hunting For Bears did not always provide information on the origin of each entry. However, careful researchers who wish to examine the original source will find sufficient information to lead them to that source.

This database is a collection of about 11.7 million individuals who were married in the state of Florida between 1822-1875 and 1927-2001. The index portion of this collection was created by multiple agencies - Ancestry, the Florida Department of Health, and Jordan Dodd of Liahona Research. The following list is a breakdown of the records included in this database and who created the electronic index to each of them.

Indexed by Ancestry (includes images of the records):

Florida State Marriage Index, 1927-1969

Indexed by Florida Department of Health (no images available):

Florida State Marriage Index, 1970-2001

Indexed by Jordan Dodd, Liahona Research (no images available):

Marriages for various counties, 1822-1875 (compiled from various records at county courthouses and/or on microfilm)

Information that may be found in this database includes:

Name of bride and/or groom

Marriage county*

Marriage date (can be just a year, or a month and year, etc.)

Marriage certificate number (only available for data from the Department of Health)

Volume number (only available for data from the Department of Health)

*In a few cases, a marriage will be listed twice, but in two different counties. This most often happened when a couple obtained a license in one county, but were actually married in another county. To provide additional research clues, this collection includes both entries.

Where to Go From Here:

Marriage records are great sources for genealogists because they document an individual in a particular place and time as well as provide details about that person's marriage.

It is important that you use the information found in this database to locate your ancestor in the original records that this index references. Usually more information is available in the records themselves than is found in an index. For example, marriage records sometimes provide the birth dates and places of the bride and groom, their parents' names, their addresses, and witnesses' names, in addition to the information listed in this index.

Copies of marriage records are available through the Florida Department of Health. They maintain marriage records beginning in January 1927. For information about how to obtain a copy, please visit their website: www.doh.state.fl.us. Records of marriages occurring before 1927 must be obtained from the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the marriage license was issued.

Many of these marriages may also be available on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. These microfilms can be loaned out to thousands of local Family History Centers throughout the world.

About Marriage Records in General:

Marriage licenses are the most common marriage records in the United States. They are issued by the appropriate authority prior to the marriage ceremony, and they have come to replace the posting of banns and intentions. Marriage licenses, which grant permission for a marriage to be performed, are returned to civil authorities after the ceremony.

Marriage licenses exist in varying forms. A standard form generally asks for the names of the bride and groom, their residence at the time of application, the date the marriage was performed, the date the license was issued, the place of the marriage, and the name of the person performing the marriage ceremony.

Marriage certificates are given to the couple after the ceremony is completed and are thus usually found among family records. There are exceptions, however. [Some] certificates…are similar to marriage licenses issued in other places.

This database contains a statewide index to over 4.8 million marriages that were performed in California between 1960 and 1985. Information that may be found in this database includes: bride’s and groom’s names, bride’s and groom’s ages, marriage county, and marriage date. Each entry is also linked to an index image. On this image additional information such as the registrar number and state file number, may also be listed. The information found in this database can be used to locate the original record that this index references. This is important to do because generally more information is available on the original record. For example, marriage records may list the bride’s and groom’s birthplaces, and their parents’ names and birthplaces, in addition to the information provided in this index. Marriage records can be obtained from the State of California Department of Health Services.

This database contains an index to marriages for Clark County, Nevada (including Las Vegas) from 1956-1966 (with a few marriages from earlier and later years). The database also contains a statewide index to marriages from 1966-2005. Information available in this database includes: Names of bride and groom, Marriage date, City or county of marriage, Officiant*, Date marriage was recorded*, City or county of recording*, and County book and page number. (*Only available in the statewide index for 1966-2005.) Note that all of the information listed may not be available for every marriage. Records from Clark County for 1956-1966 also contain an image. The Office of Vital Records and Statistics has marriage and divorce records after 1969. Prior to that date, marriage records are located in the county recorder’s office where the license was originally obtained.

Indexing death records in California between 1940 and 1997, this database is an invaluable tool for those researching in the state of California. Vital records in California have been kept by the state registrar of vital statistics since 01 July 1905. This database is an index to the death records in California from 1940 through 1997. The database may provide such valuable information as first, last and middle names of the decedents, birth dates, mother's maiden name, father's last name, sex, birth place, death place, residence at time of death, death date, social security number (when available), and the age of the individual at the time they became deceased.

This database, with over 5.3 million names, lists those who died from 1908-1932, 1938-2007 in the state of Ohio. Information contained in this index includes:

Name of the deceased

Place of residence

Death place

Death date

Age at time of death

Birth date

Race

Educational level

Father's name

Note: Each entry may not provide ALL of this information. Also, only records from 1908-1944 will include a corresponding image.

Search Tip:

The original index created by the Ohio Department of Health, in some cases, limits the length of a given name to seven characters. Names such as Christian, Elizabeth, Katherine, etc. that are more than seven characters in length may need to be truncated to produce search results. If desired search results are not appearing, please try searching in the given name field using seven letters or less.

Where to Go From Here:

Information found within this database may provide you with enough information to be able to obtain a copy of a death certificate. Copies of death certificates can be ordered through Ancestry by clicking on the "Order Original Certificate" link in the shown on the search results page.

Additional information about obtaining death certificates is available at the Ohio Department of Health website. You can also contact the Department directly at:

General Note: Please contact the Ohio Department of Health for current fees.

About Death Records:

Death records of the nineteenth century often include the name of the deceased, date, place, and cause of death, age at the time of death, place of birth, parents' names, occupation, name of spouse, name of the person giving the information, and the informant's relationship to the deceased. Race is listed in some records.

Death records, both early and modern, can help you identify others related to the decedent. The information provided in the records is usually given to authorities by a close relative. If the relative is a married daughter, the record will state her married name. Aunts, uncles, in-laws, cousins, and other relatives are listed as informants on death records. Each new name is a clue to the identity of other ancestors that should be pursued.

Why can’t I see the Social Security Number?

If the Social Security Number is not visible on the record index it is because Ancestry.com does not provide this number for any person that has passed away within the past 10 years.

Taken from Chapter 3: Research in Birth, Death, and Cemetery Records, The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Johni Cerny; edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Incorporated, 1997).

This database contains an index of Ohio births for the years 1908–1964. This index contains no images and is meant to be used to assist in finding the birth date and birthplace of your ancestors. Information found in this database may be used to assist in finding additional records. Details in the index include name, birth date, and place of birth.

This database is an index to approximately 2.9 million divorces that were filed in Texas from 1968-2011. Information that may be found in this database includes file number, husband's full name, husband's age, wife's given and middle names, wife's age, number of children under the age of 18, marriage date, divorce date, and divorce county. Divorce records have been maintained statewide by the Bureau of Vital Statistics since January 1968, but certified copies are not available from this facility. Divorce records are maintained under the jurisdiction of the clerk of the respective district court. During the first years of the Republic of Texas, divorces were granted by special acts of Congress, but in 1841 district courts took over this responsibility, with some exceptions. After statehood, district courts had full jurisdiction over divorces. Taken from Wendy Bebout Elliot, "Texas," Red Book, ed. Alice Eichholz (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004).

The state department of health has the responsibility of recording the deaths of tens of thousands of residents who die each year. This index lists over 7 million individuals who died in the state of Texas from 1903-2000. A few deaths from years prior to 1903 are also included. The index was provided by the Texas Department of Health. Information available in this index includes:

Name of deceased

Death county

Death date

Death certificate number

Gender

Marital status

Note: not all entries will provide all of this information. In addition, only deaths from 1903-63 and 1999-2000 are linked to images of the original Department of Health index.

Where to Go From Here:

With the information provided in this index, you may be able to obtain a copy of a death certificate. Because more information is often provided in an original record than in its index, it is important that you obtain a copy of the original record, if possible. For information on how to order a copy of a death certificate, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website (www.tdh.state.tx.us) or write to:

Beginning in 1903, with mandatory recording of births and deaths, copies of county records are maintained at the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756. Statewide indexes were microfilmed by the Texas State Library and copies are additionally available at several genealogical libraries. The death index is alphabetical within broader periods of time: 1903-40; 1940;45; 1946-55; then annually for 1956-73. The Genealogy Section of the Texas State Library provides limited correspondence service by checking indexes for a particular name for a small fee. If a birth or death record is not found at the state level, it is prudent to check the proper municipal or county office.

Modern (post-1910) death records, though comparatively recent, are steadily increasing in value. People are living longer, and death records often provide information about birth as well as death.

Modern death certificates have not been standardized throughout the United States; but, like birth certificates, most of them contain the same types of information. Most contemporary death certificates include the deceased's name, sex, race, date of death, age at the time of death, place of death, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, name of spouse, Social Security number, occupation, residence, father's name, mother's name, cause of death, and place of burial. Records from some states provide the birthplace of the deceased's parents. The Social Security number is not always included, but, when it is, it can be invaluable because other records (subject to right-of-privacy laws) may be accessible if you have the Social Security number.

As any experienced researcher knows, death records are only as accurate as the knowledge of the person who provided the information. Many informants are unaware of the name of parents or are unsure about dates and places of birth. Always try to find additional information about parents and dates and places of birth whenever possible.

Taken from Cerny, Johni, "Research in Birth, Death, and Cemetery Records." In The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, ed. Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1997).

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